A minister yesterday appealed to mourners not to leave "disconcerting" tributes like solar lights and wind chimes by gravesides.

A minister yesterday appealed to mourners not to leave "disconcerting" tributes like solar lights and wind chimes by gravesides.

The Rev Graeme Longmuir said he wanted to ensure funeral services could be conducted with dignity and mourners were allowed to grieve in peace.

Mr Longmuir, from St Andrew's Parish Church in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, said the problem had grown in the past five years, with people leaving increasingly elaborate ornaments.

He spoke out after being forced to temporarily remove 10 helium-filled balloons bearing the message "happy birthday" from a grave at Inverurie Cemetery, where he was due to conduct a funeral nearby.

"It is a very difficult issue, and I can understand how families feel," he said.

"But the problem has escalated over the last five years, and it is very difficult for people to lay a loved one to rest when you have wind chimes, rattles and plastic butterflies flapping their wings in the wind nearby.

"We also have the solar lights at night, and this can all be very disconcerting.

"How far do people go with this? It kind of confirms to me that I have maybe not been doing my job properly either by saying to people now is the time to go from this place - you will always have your memories'."

Aberdeenshire Council said it changed its guidelines on graveside ornamentation last year to "minimise the risk of disturbance or distress".

The guidelines include a ban on moving, noise-emitting and light-emitting features, and a restriction on ornamentation.